hooper



(No Model.)

M.- P. G. HOOPE-R. ATTAGHMENT FOR- SKIRTS.

No. 549,269. Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

-HWT

INVENTOR ATTORNEY \9 to wear.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' MARY P. oARPENTER nooPER, or NEW YORK, N. Y. I

ATTACHMENT FOR SKIRTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,269, dated. I\l'ovember 5, 1895. Application filed April 1, 1895- Serial No. 543,977. (N0 model.)

larly known as organ-pipe or goddet,

skirts or skirts having organ-pipe or goddet backsthat is, having large folds or plaitings extending from at or near the waist to the bottom of the skirt, and which may be; formed only in the back of the skirt or may extend a greater or less distance around the skirt or even entirely around the skirtit has been customary to provide the skirt with a lining of haircloth or other suitable stiffening material extending from at or near the waist to the bottom of the skirt and part way or entirely around the skirt, according as the large or organ-pipe folds or goddets are to ex tend part way or entirely around the skirt. This lining is made of a material, such as hair-cloth, of sufficient thickness toc'ause the skirt to hang in the desired large folds, and

consequently makes the skirt very heavy,

and therefore uncomfortable and fatiguing It should also be as elastic as possible, so as to cause the skirt to return to its proper arrangement after the folds have been disarranged. The best material heretofore used for the purpose has been hair-cloth but this is very expensive, and even it will after a short time become creased and lose its elas-' ticity, and the folds will become broken and out of shape.

This invention aims to provide a device or attachment which will improve the hang of such organ-pipe or goddet skirts, causing them to hang in the desired folds and causing the material to return to the proper folds 'after being disarranged, and by which the folds will be preserved as long as the dress is worn, and which device shall render the use of hair-cloth or similar material heretofore used in such skirts unnecessary, and shall be light, inexpensive, and comfortable and convenient tail in Figs. 6 and 7.

to the wearer. To this end I provide one or more series of rings, preferably by providing bows or spring-rods adapted to be bent to form rings or bows, which rings or bows extend into the folds of the skirt, one ring of each series extending into a fold, each series extending laterally part way or entirely around the skirt, or as far as it is desired to have the large folds" extend, and the series, if more than one series is used, being placed at dif ferent distances from the bottom of the skirt. The broad idea of the invention is capable of various embodiments anduses, some of which will be herein shown and described.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given bya full description thereof in connection with drawings illustrating the invention, all further preliminary description will be omitted and a detailed description will now be given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a dressskirt providedwith the device, which is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device as it would appear in position as in Fig. l, the material of the skirt being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 isaview similar to Fig. 2, but on a smaller scale, and show ing the parts disconnected and the device extended and the material of the skirt not being indicated. Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken perspective view of the device extended. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a back piece (and in dotted lines of a complete skirt) provided with the device, and also provided with a top adjusting .device, which is illustrated in de- Fig. 8 is a detail view showing a ring contracted and lengthened for the purpose of forming deeper folds. is a View similar to Fig. 2, but of a modified construction. Fig. 10 is a detail View of a spring-rod of india-rubber, showing in dotted lines the rod bent to form a ring.

In the drawings, a a represent a series of spring-rods connected together and provided with means to allow of their being secured to the material of the skirt, preferably being secured at proper distances apart to a band 2 of suitable material, such as tape or ribbon, which is preferablysomewhat wider than the springs, and they are preferably secured to the band in the manner shown in the drawings, the band being provided with pockets 3 to receive the rods, thus allowing of easy insertion and removal of the rods and having connecting portions 1) between the pockets.

The rods may be made of any suitable material, as fiat spring-steel or whalebone, and they are preferably provided with suitable means for detachably securing their ends together, as a hook 4 at one end adapted to catch in an eyelet or hole 5 in the other end, as shown.

In use one or more of the devices are secured to the inside of the skirt, as indicated in Fi g. 1, so as to extend laterally around the skirt the proper distance, according to the distance the large folds are to extend, the number of springs being equal to the number of the large folds. When constructed as shown in the drawings, the device is secured to the skirt by sewing or otherwise securing the band to the skirt, and each spring may then be bent to form a ring and its ends hooked together, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forming a series of rings arranged periphery to periphery and connected together on one side of the series by the portions 1) of the band, and between which rings the material of the skirt extends. Beyond each end of each pocket the band is preferably provided with means for drawing the connecting portions 1) of the band back around the rings thus formed, and for this purpose there is preferably secured to the band a buckle 6 just beyond one end of each pocket and a strap '7 just beyond the other end of each pocket. By drawing the straps 7 through their corresponding buckles (3 the connecting portions b will be drawn inward, thus allowing the skirt material to extend back farther between the rings and the rings will be caused to take a proper curved position relatively to each other, all as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The straps 7 may be made by forming a loop in the band 2, and the buckle may also be conveniently secured to the band by means of a loop of the band, as shown. Instead of straps and buckles, as shown, strings or tapes may be provided to answer the same purpose, and the term draw-back straps will be hereinafter used to designate such buckles and straps or their equivalents. By making the connecting portions b sufficiently short the rings will be thereby held in a proper curved A position without the employment of such draw-back straps but the arrangement shown is preferred, as it provides for a deeper fold and provides a convenient way of adjusting the relative positions of the rings, but it will be understood that such adjustment may be provided for in other ways.

The means for securing the ends of the spring-rods together are preferably arranged to provide for an adjustment of the size of the rings formed by the rods, as in the arran gement shown, by providing each rod with a series of the eyelets 5, and sliding retaining straps 8 are preferably provided on the rods (0 to secure the free overlapping ends of the rods. It will be understood, however, that means for,conneeting the ends of the rods may be entirely dispensed with, especially when the rods are intended merely to be bent to form bows, as by means of the draw-back straps, in which case the rods will preferalily be proportionately somewhat shorter than shown and may be secured to the band for their whole length.

It will thus be seen that the skirt will be caused to hang in the desired folds, as shown in Fig. 1, without the use of a stiffening-lining. The folds cannot be much displaced at or near the rings, and by having the folds preserved at one place the skirt will tend to hang in the proper folds for its whole length, and after being disturbed will tend to return to its proper position.

It is to be understood that instead of the construction shown for securing the rings to the skirt various other means and arrangements may be resorted to, as any other suitable rings or bows or devices for forming rings or bows may be secured permanently or removably to the inside of the skirt in any suitable manner so as to extend the material in the desired folds; but the device shown preferred and in itself forms a part of the invention. \Vith this arrangement the springrods may be readily disconnected and extended, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus allowing the skirt to be readily folded without injury and the rods may be readily removed.

In Fig. 9 is shown a series of ordinary rin of any suitable material adjustably secured together 011 one side of the series, and secured to the skirt so that the material of the skirt will extend between the rings, the rings being left free from each other except for the connections on the inner side of the series. This will also be found a very convenient construction as the rings may be disconnected for packing.

The rings or bows or the band carrying the rings or bows is preferably secured to the skirt, as indicated in Fig. 2, by being secured to a lining of the skirt, to which the material forming the outside of the skirt is fastened, between or in the recesses of the folds, and the breadths of which lining between such lines of connection with the outside material of the skirt are made narrower than the corresponding breadths of such outside material, so that such outside material shall hang free therefrom, thus avoiding any ridges being caused in the outside material of the skirt by the rings or bows.

As shown in the drawings, the device is provided with three rods and is adapted to be used in a skirt which is to have three of the large or organ-pipe folds; but it will be understood that each series may contain any number of rings or rods,according to the number of organ-pipe folds desired, and if the folds are to extend :entirely around the skirt the series of rings may also extend entirely around the skirt, or, if preferred, they may be used only for the larger folds at the back. It will also be understood that only one series of rings may be used or any number of series may be used, being placed one above the other at various distances from the bottom of the skirt.

Tl1e ringsorbows'of' each series will preferablydecrease in size in each direction from the center of the back of the skirt, and when a plurality of series is used each series from the bottom upward will have smaller rings or bows.

Light india-rubber tubing is a good material of which to make the rings or bows, as it is very elastic and will properly extend the folds, and yet is very flexible and practically unbreakable, and it is not affected by moisture and is therefore particularly well adapted for use at the bottom of the skirt.

In Fig. 10 is shown a spring-rod formed of india-rubber tubing, which may be used in the construction shown instead of the rods shown in the other figures. As shown in this iigiu-e, one end of the tube is tapered so as to fit into the other end to hold the ends together when bowed to form a ring, as indicated in dotted lines. The use of india-rubber tubing in this construction forms a fea-' ture of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows in full lines a back piece adapted to be worn underneath a dress-skirt for the purpose of causing it to hang in the desired folds. In using such a back piece the dress-skirt may be and preferably will be tacked into the folds of the back piece. For light summer dresses, and especially for wash dresses, it will be found desirable to use a complete under-skirt, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, provided with the device. Such an underskirt having the device extending entirely or nearly all the way around will also be well adapted to take the place of hoopskirts provided with continuous rings extending entirely around the skirt, and will have the advantages of such a skirt without many of its disadvantages. The lateral extension of the skirt will be attained witho ut the rigidity attended upon the use of hoops.

To aid in securing the best hanging of the skirt, I preferably provide for an adjustment of the skirt at the belt or near the top of the skirt, as indicated in Fig. 5 and as shown in details in Figs. 6 and 7, which are diagrammatical top plan views of the top portion of a skirt or back piece, and in which 10 represents the material of the skirt which lies in folds 11, which are the upper ends of organpipe folds of the skirt or back piece. Secured to the material of the skirt beyond the folds 11 are straps 12 and 13, one of which preferably carriesa buckle. By tightening these straps the material beyond the folds will be drawn together to form auxiliary or reinforcing folds 14, which will bear inward on the main folds and thereby aid in preserving and holding such folds in place.

'Itmay sometimes be desired to make deeper folds in the skirt than can be obtained by the use of round rings, as shown in Fig. 2. This may be accomplished in various ways, a preferred way being by providing contracting spring-bands 20, preferably spiral springs, as shown in Fig. 8, to extend across the rings from side to side, by which the rings will be narrowed in one direction and lengthened in the other. Inelastic contracting bands might be used, but spring-bands are preferable, as the rings will be thereby held to the desired form and yet remain flexible and compressible in all directions.

Although the attachment is designed to make a skirt hang inthe desired folds without the use of the heavy stifiening-lining, yet it will be understood that the attachment may also be advantageously used in a skirt which is provided with such a lining, whether lighter than would be used without it or even of the same weight.

What is claimed is 1. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a series of rings arranged periphery to periphery and connections between the rings on one side of the series, the rings being otherwise left free from each other, said device being adapted to be secured to the skirt so as to extend laterally part way around the skirt to cause the skirt to hang in folds, substantially as described.

2. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a series of spring rods arranged end to end, connections between the rods, and means for holding the rods in a bowed position, substantially as described.

An attachment for skirts, consisting of a series of spring rods arranged end to end, connections between the rods, and means for securing the ends of the rods together to form rings, substantially as described.

4. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a band 2, provided with pockets 3 arranged longitudinally of the band, and having connecting portions 1; between the pockets, spring rods in said pockets, and means for securing the ends of the rod together to form rings, substantially as described.

5. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a band 2' provided with pockets 3 arranged longitudinally of the band and adapted to receive spring rods, and having connecting portions 1) between the pockets, and drawback straps secured to the connecting portions 19, substantially as described.

6. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a band 2, a series of spring rods a secured to the band and arranged end to end thereon and provided with means for securing their ends together to form rings and connecting portions 1) of the band between the rods, substantially as described.

7. An attachment for skirts, consisting of a band 2, a series of spring rods a secured to the band and arranged end to end thereon,

ends together to form rings, connecting portions 1) of the hand between the spring rods, and drawback straps secured to the connecting portions 1), substantially as described.

9. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of rings secured to the skirt, the rings of each series being arranged horizontally and peripheryto periphery and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt and the material of the skirt extending between the rings and the series being secured to the skirt at different distances from the bottom of the skirt, substantially as described. i

10. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of rings secured to the skirt, the rings of each series being arranged horizontally and periphery to periphery and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt and the material of the skirt extending between the rings, and the rings diminishing in size each way from the center of the back of the skirt, and the series of rings being secured to the skirt at different distances from the bottom of the skirt, and the size of the rings diminishing from the lower to the upper series, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of spring rods secured to the skirt, the rods of each series being arranged end to end and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt, and means for drawing the ends of the rods together, the series of rods being secured to the skirt so as to cause the skirt to hang in folds when the rods arebowed, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of rods formed of india rubber tubing secured to the skirt, the rods of each series being arranged end to end and each series extending part way around the skirt, and means for drawing the ends of the rods together to cause the skirt to hang in folds,

substantially as described.

13. The combination with a skirt, of a band 2 secured to the skirt and extending laterally part way around the skirt, and provided with pockets 3 arranged longitudinally of the band and end to end thereon and adapted to receive spring rods, and having connecting portions 1) between the pockets, spring rods in said pockets provided with means for adjustably securing their ends together to form rings, and drawback straps secured to the portions 1), substantially as described.

14.. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of spring rods secured to a lining of the skirt, the rods of each series being arranged end to end and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt to cause the skirt to hang in folds when the rods are bowed, and means for holding the rods in a bowed position, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of spring rods secured to a lining of the skirt, the rods of each series being arranged end to end and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt to cause the skirt to hang in folds when the rods are bowed, the outside material of the skirt being fastened to said lining in the recesses of the folds, and the breadths of the lining between such lines of connection with the skirt being narrower than the corresponding breadths of the outside material of the skirt, and means for holding the rods in a bowed position, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a skirt, of one or more series of rings secured to a lining of the skirt, the rings of each series being arranged horizontally and periphery to periphery and each series extending laterally part way around the skirt to cause the skirt to hang in folds, the outside material of the skirt being fastened to said lining in the recesses of the folds, and the breadths of the lining between such lines of connection with the outside materiahof the skirt being narrower than the corresponding breadths of the outside material of the skirt, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a skirt, of a series of rings secured to the skirt, the rings being arranged horizontally and periphery to periphery and the series extending laterally part way around the skirt to cause the skirt to hang in folds, said rings being provided with spring contracting bands 20, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARY P. CARPENTER HOOPER. \Vitnesses:

A. L. KENT, G. M. BoRs'r. 

